Initiatives
As His Majesty King Abdullah II ascended to the Throne on 7 February 1999, several Royal initiatives were launched that built on Jordan’s achievements and implemented His Majesty’s vision for enhancing citizens’ living conditions, especially in poverty pockets. Today, these initiatives encompass a range of sectors, such as healthcare, education, youth, custodianship over holy sites, social development and income-generating projects.
The Royal initiatives currently underway include:
King Abdullah II Fund for Development
Established in 2001, as a non-governmental organisation, the King Abdullah II Fund for Development (KAFD) strives to improve living conditions in the Kingdom’s governorates by implementing social, educational and economic programmes aimed at distributing sustainable development gains through partnerships with the private sector and civil society institutions.
KAFD’s programmes and projects seek to serve individuals, groups, companies and public and private institutions within a framework that reflects KAFD’s principles of transparency, productivity, sustainability, collaboration and efficient funding. Moreover, KAFD seeks to contribute to a fair distribution of development gains among the governorates by establishing pioneering productive projects through real public-private partnerships and with civil society organisations.
The official website of the King Abdullah II Fund for Development (KAFD): http://www.kafd.jo/en
King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau
Established by Royal Decree on 24 August 1999, the King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau (KADDB) is an independent military/civilian institution that works under the umbrella of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army. Concerned with research and development, it aims to offer optimal solutions in defence locally, regionally and internationally as well as to supply the Armed Forces with state-of-the-art military technology in order to develop industrial capacities in Jordan.
KADDB provides the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army with advanced technical and scientific services in several fields, such as applied engineering and research. It also attracts research projects with added value and develops their concepts into actual designs, which are then implemented by manufacturing test-ready samples. This phase entails actual production, according to international standards, a process that has turned KADDB into a hub for creativity and innovation.
Through the implementation of its strategy, KADDB seeks to build its capacities by developing human resources, qualifying engineers and enriching their knowledge in scientific research, design as well as development. Its goals also include devising applied solutions that increase the power of defence technology.
Moreover, KADDB has set out to establish partnerships with Jordanian universities to create an environment where students can implement their scientific research and projects that serve KADDB’s goals through cooperation.
The official website of the King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau: www.kaddb.com
King Abdullah II Centre for Excellence
Founded in January 2006, the King Abdullah II Centre for Excellence (KACE) aims to spread a culture of excellence and to function as a national point of reference to identify Jordan’s competitiveness by adopting best practices and incorporating them into the standards of the awards it launches and implements across all sectors.
KACE is the national point of reference assigned to measure the level of excellence and quality at public institutions, private unions, companies, education service providers and non-governmental institutions. It measures their capabilities and efficiency in providing services, in addition to their contributions to the competitiveness of the Jordanian economy.
The centre administers several awards.
The official website of the King Abdullah II Centre for Excellence: www.kace.jo
King Abdullah II Award for Physical Fitness
In line with His Majesty King Abdullah II’s commitment to support and encourage excellence among students throughout Jordan, His Majesty has directed the Ministry of Education to create an award for students who excel in physical fitness: “The King Abdullah II Award for Physical Fitness”.
The Award is a programme to encourage activities at the Kingdom’s schools, through which students exercise for one hour every day, five times a week, over six consecutive weeks.
The prize seeks to ensure students’ utilise their free time positively. The Award is also aimed at building self-confidence and boosting competition and challenging oneself, creating a healthy culture in terms of sports and diet, exercising regularly and voluntarily, in addition to unleashing the hidden talents and potentials of students and investing in them.
